Tobii AB: USB Standard Established for Eye Tracking

Tobii, working in collaboration with Microsoft, Intel and EyeTech DS, have created a USB HID (Human Interface Device) standard for eye tracking. This enables eye tracking technology to join the family of devices such as mice, keyboards, game controllers, digitizers, touchpads, and more, that have standard interfaces agreed on by USB.org.

The new standard represents an important step for the entire eye tracking industry, users and developers. Essentially, it establishes eye tracking as a control mechanism for consumer electronics, enabling more robust and widespread adoption of eye tracking technology across devices and applications. Specific benefits across select industry segments include:

Developers of both applications and operating systems can be more confident that they can leverage and see return from investments in integrating eye tracking use cases into their software across a variety of different hardware devices for eye tracking.

Device manufacturers can integrate eye tracking technology with increased confidence that there will be a rich eco-system of content available that utilizes the technology.

End-users can obtain a consistent plug-and-play experience that they can trust and recognize across different devices and applications.

"The ratification of the new USB HID standard is a key milestone for Tobii and shows that eye tracking has formally joined the ranks of credible and future-proof interface technologies," said Henrik Eskilsson, CEO, Tobii. "It ensures that the foundation is now in place to support mainstream adoption of eye tracking technology across operating systems, platforms, and devices."